Condiment-container



Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

ELDRIDGE NICHOLAS, OF CHARLESTOWN, RHODE ISLAND.

CONDIMENT-CONTAINER,

Application filed November 24, 1919.

Y '0 all whom it may come-m:

Be it known that I, ELDRIDGE NiononAs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Oharlestown, in the county of \Vashington and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condiment-Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to condiment containers; and has for its object to provide such a container for table use, which is adapted more particularly for dispensing salt, the construction being such that an endwise motion of the valve rod causes the valve to open at the bottom of the container, to permit a portion of the contents to be discharged therethrough by each opening motion.

A further object of this invention is to provide means in the container for stirring or breaking up the contents thereof to cause the same to discharge more freely.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a skirt or guiding portion about the discharge opening to limit the spreadin of the depositing material.

with these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will'be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partially in section showing a portion of the valve-stem andthe stirrer rotatably mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a view partially in section showing a portion of the valve stem and the stirrer rotatably mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view of the rotatable stirrer member.

Fig. 4. is an edge view of the stirrer member.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the body portion of my improved condiment holder, which may be made of glass or other suitable material, the same being .provided with an opening 11 at its top through which the body may be filled; a cap 12 being provided for closing this opening to exclude the air from the contents ofthe holder.

Thisholder member is provided with a tapering or inclined bottom portion 13 having a central discharge opening 14, the outer portion of the body extending down as at 15 beyond this inner bottom P01111011, to form a base on which the holder may be set.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Serial NO. 340,210.

A valve 16 in the form of a tapering plug 1s provided through which a stem 17 passes, said stem extending upwardly through an opening in the top cap 12 and is provided with an enlarged head 18 between which and the top cap is placed a coil spring 19 which serves a double purpose; first, to hold the valve up against its seat to close the discharge opening; and second, to hold the top cap down onto its seat.

In order to control the direction of flow of the discharge through this bottom openmg I have formed a circular extension or sklrt portion 20 whereby when the valve is opened the contents will discharge downwardly substantially in a straight line as it is directed and controlled by this skirt portion, while if it were not for this skirt portion the rapid discharge of the contents striking the inclined face of the valve, would cause the same to spread out over too large an area.

Another feature of my invention is that i I have provided a stirrer member 21 which is mounted to rotate on the stem 17. This stem member is provided with a plurality of arms 22, the ends 23 of which are set substantially at a right angle to the body thereof and turned downwardly at an angle to the plane of said body whereby a vertical movement of the stem will cause these inclined blades in passing through the contents to rotate and so break up the contents, which in the case of salt particularly in damp weather will not discharge freely from the container.

In order to provide a simple and inexpensive means of connecting this stirrer member'to the valve-stem, I have swaged or raised a portion of the stock of the stem providing a plurality of shoulders 24 both above and below the point where the stirrer is mounted thereby providing a space between these lu s or projections in which the stirrer is he d to freely rotate.

The foregoing description is directed solely toward the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claim. J

I claim:

A condiment holder comprising a hollow body having a filling opening at its upper end, a cap for said opening, said body having a tapering inclined bottom portlon wlth a central discharge opening therethrough, a valve for closing said discharge opening, a

6 stem connected to said valve and extending up through said cap and having an enlarged operating head on this upper end, a spring coiled about said stem between said head and cap to hold both the cap and the valve 10 to their seats, a stirrer member rotatably' mounted on said stem, said member having angular vanes for causing it to rotate independently of said stem when moved up and down by action of said valve stem.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature 15 in presence 0 two witnesses.

ELDRIDGE NICHOLAS. Witnesses:

GEORGE 0. Guess, MARY E. CRoss. 

